🖐 In this blog post we’ll share all drone law links & known rules about recreational & commercial drone use in Lithuania (Vilnius). Give a 👍 at the end of this post if you enjoyed it & feel free to ask any questions or share your experience in The Forum. Keep in mind that the content below is updated to the best of our ability & does not replace official sources & your own research.
Recreational vs Commercial drone use in Lithuania
Lithuania does not differentiate commercial & recreational drone use - see our post to differentiate recreational vs commercial drone usage. However both are subject to restrictions and code of conduct. Additionally, depending on your drone's weight and where you want to fly your drone, different rules will apply.
✅ In Lithuania, drone laws falls under the Lithuanian Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), & they can be contacted anytime via:
Email: caa@caa.lt
Phone: (+370) 5 273 90 38
Can I bring my drone to Lithuania?
✅ Currently, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions on bringing drones within Lithuania (Bali) as long as your import is considered as legitimate (generally one drone per person).
🚨 Be aware of the airline you purchase to travel as some main ones will only accept your drone on-board if its batteries are detached & placed in a firecase during travel time. Most airlines will have a battery voltage limit based on the recommendation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can find more info about a specific airline here.
Where can I fly my drone in Lithuania?
✅ Lithuania built a drone fly map to display drone flight zones within the country. The map is organised in a 2 color scheme to help drone owners to fly responsibly & safely:
Blue = no fly zones (State Aviation Air Naval Airspace).
Red = radio controlled fly zones (you must coordinate your drone flight with local with radio waves. For an exemption, you can contact the air traffic coordinator by phone at (+370) 6 124 09 21 or (+370) 6 987 22 94 or radio: MOLETAI RADIO 122.050 MHz.
This drone fly map also has several other layers & shows airports which might become handy for you when visiting beautiful Lithuania!
Lithuania drone fly map
🚨 There might be some council level bans (stopping you from flying above a given city or town). Best is to always call the local council or police to double check ahead.
🚨 You will need to ask prior flying above military areas but it seems easy to do such and even record photos & videos 👌
🚨 Do not fly near the border between Lithuania and Russia.
Recreational & Commercial Drone use in Lithuania
✅ Good things first, you will not need a license or permit to fly your drone in Lithuania. More good news, any drone weighting less than 300 g is not subject to Lithuanian drone laws as long as you do not fly in restricted flight zones described above.
Within the permitted zones, you will need to follow a few rules:
fly your drone in sight, at a maximum altitude of 120 m above the ground or 60 m within controlled and restricted zones & a maximum of 1 km away from you*.
fly a drone that weights less than 25 kg.
fly 50 m away from vehicles, buildings & people & respect individual's privacy.
fly away from dense urban areas (cities & towns)*.
before each flight, you should check your drone & its accessories.
fly at least 1.8 km away from airports & give priority to all other categories of aircraft. If you see a plane or helicopter during your flight, land immediately your drone.
you should be familiar with the Lithuanian legislation governing airline safety.
do not fly near a natural disaster or somewhere emergencies will need to intervene.
do not fly your drone under the influence of any drugs or alcohol. 😷 You also should not fly your drone if you are severely sick.
you cannot drop or carry anything from your drone without permission.
* You may apply for an exemption if you can ensure & justify the safety of your drone flight (includes an insurance proof). You can apply for such by sending an enquiry to caa@caa.lt 🕔 Allow 10 working days to receive an answer.
✅ For drones weighting more than 25 kg: you will need to
register your drone with the (CAA) or its authorized organization.
hold a CAA license specifying the conditions applicable to such a flight.
demonstrate the suitability of the aircraft.
hold a civil liability insurance.
✅ If you loose control or contact with your drone: you should call the closest ATC center over the phone. Including; your full name, where you lost control, the altitude & the flight direction.
Once you got everything in order, you can start flying above Lithuania's awesome landscapes and create videos like this one:
✅ Please leave a comment or update the Forum when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone in Lithuania! Have fun & safe flight!
Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authorities for needed information about local drone rules and regulations.
Sources
Other resources
O No 4R-17 (Lithuanian UAV law)